Home » Mechanical Engineering » Engineering Materials

Effect of small boron additions to steel A small percentage of boron is added to steels primarily to achieve which effect? Choose the correct option.

Difficulty: Easy

Increase hardenability
Reduce machinability
Increase wear resistance
Increase endurance strength

Correct Answer: Increase hardenability

Explanation:

Concept
Minute additions of boron (on the order of tens of ppm) markedly increase hardenability by reducing the tendency for ferrite/pearlite to form at prior austenite grain boundaries, allowing deeper martensitic transformation on quenching.

Final Answer
Increase hardenability

← Previous Question Next Question→

More Questions from Engineering Materials

Classification of cast irons by carbon content Iron–carbon alloys containing 1.7 to 4.3% carbon are classified as which type of cast iron with respect to the eutectic composition (≈4.3% C)? Choose the correct option.
Heat treatment sequence: Arrange the metallurgical phenomena in correct chronological order for annealing of cold-worked steels. As temperature/time increases during a standard annealing heat cycle, the microstructural stages occur in a characteristic order (stress relief/recovery, recrystallisation, grain growth). Choose the correct sequence.
Cast iron heat treatment: Identify how malleable cast iron is produced. Manufacturing route selection for obtaining malleable (toughened) cast iron from a base iron. Choose the correct process description.
Material property for shock-resisting steels: Identify the most critical requirement. Design focus: Select the dominant mechanical property needed when steels must withstand sudden impacts and shocks. Choose the correct property.
Steel Hardness — Primary Compositional Dependence For plain steels, which factor most strongly governs the achievable hardness after heat treatment (all else equal)?
Low-Carbon Steel Heating — Effect at the Upper Critical Temperature When a low-carbon steel is heated up to its upper critical temperature (A3), what happens to its average grain size at that point?
Cast Iron & Pig Iron — Source and Properties Which of the following statements about ironmaking and cast irons is correct?
Annealing of Steels — Temperature, Cooling, and Effects Which statements correctly describe annealing practice and outcomes for steels in general?
Brittle Fracture — Characteristics and Materials Which statement about brittle fracture in metals is correct?
Beryllium Bronze (Beryllium Copper) — Key Mechanical Properties Which of the following best describes the notable mechanical properties of beryllium bronze (Cu-Be alloy)?

Discussion & Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!

Join Discussion